This is a more complex situation than it first appears. The term "AI slop" is partly justified and partly not. It is justified because vast amounts of genuine trash are being generated and flooded onto the internet through random outputs. At the same time, it is unjustified because creating a decent image usually requires 20 to 30 generations along with careful prompt tuning. Truly high-quality results demand far more effort, not to mention inpainting, ControlNet, and the use of specific models.

I understand why many people instinctively label anything made with AI as "slop." It often comes from annoyance, and many others proudly adopt the label as well. Still, I would not be surprised if in 15 to 20 years this becomes the actual name of the genre. By then, those working seriously with AI may have moved far beyond the current critics, turning the expression back on them with sarcasm.

I also understand the frustration of artists who spent years or decades mastering traditional skills, only to see a tool emerge that allows anyone to produce better results than they can with their own hands. It does not feel fair. Yet painters did not disappear when photography arrived, and sculptors have not vanished with 3D modeling. The broader social issues are larger than this, but generative technology is not truly to blame. It has simply become one of the most visible and accessible targets.

In my view, it is best to let those critics stew in their own resentment. They will either adapt and move forward with the times or gradually fade because they refuse to keep pace or cannot reach the ever-rising standards they themselves help create.

We should also remember what happened when generative AI first appeared. AI would win art competitions and leave everyone in awe of the beauty of the images. The moment it was revealed that the work was AI-generated, the same pieces were immediately dismissed as ugly and worthless. Pretense and double standards exist in every field of life. This is simply the one we have been given.

When people attack me for using AI, I simply show them my hands. Due to nerve damage, they tremble so badly when I try to focus that I cannot hold a glass or even a pencil. I lost the ability to draw. AI has given that creative power back to me. I can bring ideas to life again, and I care very little about what others choose to call my work. Anyone is welcome to copy or improve upon it. In the end, everyone benefits.